Wardrobe suitcase



Feb. 14, 1933. E. E. WlLT WARDROBE SUITCASE Filed July 2, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet l jg 177%7120r.

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Feb. 14, 1933. E. E. WILT 1,897,353

WARDROBE SUITCASE Filed July 2, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 J71 v izfo 7 I Z Z 1267 5 Z Zia/021% ll/ilt,

l atentecl Feb. 14, 1933 ELMER ELLSWORTH WELT, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS WARDROBE SUITCASE Application. filed July 2,

This invention relates to suit cases and more particularly to wardrobe suit cases prol l a garment-holding hanger or J .nonnted in the upper portion of the main object of the invention is to proa case of conventional size in which garmay l on hangers and be and carried in .he case without becomdisarranged or wrinkled.

feature ot the present invention is the on of cotainer for various acceslocated within the wardrobe suit case, ich container is preferably movable relatively to the case walls and self-adjusting relatively to the clothing in the case, and is adapted to cooperate with the garment hang- .r an d with the cas walls to retain the clothproper pos ion. The container may be in the form of a tray, either open or closed, m the interior contour of the case is correteal to the outer contour of the container so that the space between the proximate case and. container walls is substantially uniform 3 in depth.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a transverse sectional View of a wardrobe suit case embodying my invention, the same being shown as resting on the side wall of the main sect-ion. with the cover in raised position.

is a transverse section of the case, showing the cover in closed position.

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the case shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a transverse section of a closed case showing a modified form of container.

In the following specification the walls of the case are designated top. bottom and side walls according to their positions when the case is moright. that is, when in the position in which it is carried by the use of the hand hold secured to the top wall.

ln that embodiment of the invention shown in 1 to 3 inclusive. the main section of the case comprises a bottom 10. side wall 11, top 12 and end walls 1-3 and 14. The cover comprises a bottom portion 15, side wall 16, top 17 and end walls 18 and 19. A garment hanger fixture is indicated at 20, the same 1931. Serial No. 548,393.

being secured in the upper portion of the cover. Intermediate the side wall 11 and the bottom and top 12, are curved portions 21 and 22, respectively, and the sidewall 16 of the cover likewise merges into the bottom 15 and top 17 by curved portions 23 and 24, respectively. The external contour of the walls 21 to 2 l inclusive may be concentric with the inner contour of said parts or may take any other desired form, that is, the eX- ternal form of the case may be substantially rectangular in transverse section, if desired. The internal contour, however, is especially related to the cont-our of the container for accessories about to be described.

Said container is shown in the form of an open faced tray which is as long as the interior dimension of the side wall 11 but of less width than the space between the side walls 11 and 16 and of less depth than the distance between the walls 10 and 12. Said tray comprises a substantially flat wall 25 which may be termed the bottom of the tray, side walls 26, 26 and top sections 27, 27, the side walls 26 merging into the bottom and top walls 25 and 27 by curved walls 28 and 29, respectively. The end walls of the tray are indicated at 30. The container may rest on brackets 31 secured to the endwalls 13 and 14 of the case, or said brackets 31 may be dispensed with, if desired, and the container may be positioned directly on the clothing.

The inner surfaces of the case walls are preferably lined and smooth. A piece of leather or fabric lining 32 secured to the Wall 16 of the cover extends to and is secured on the walls of the main section, and closes the gap 33 occasioned by the opening of the cover. Said lining extends loosely across the hinged connection between case and cover.

In the form of construction shown in Figs.

1 to 3 inclusive, the interior contour of the case walls, when closed, and the external shape of the tray or container are correlated to provide a space of substantially uniform depth between the container and the case for the reception of garments. After garments have been arranged on the hanger or hangers in the cover of the case and depend from said hanger or hangers downwardly into the main section so as to rest on the side wall 11 of said section, with the free ends extending over the edge of the top 12 outwardly of the case, the tray or container is placed into position either on the brackets 31 or directly on the clothing in the case, and then the free ends of the garments are folded over the container walls 26, 29 and 27, between said walls and the case top, as required by the length of the garments.

Preferably the tray or container is floating, that is, movablerelatively to the case walls and thereby self-adjusting to accommodate clothes of various thicknesses and lengths in the case, but theslight movement of the tray which takes place when the case is normally packed, does not materially alter the predetermined relationship between container and case walls or the substantially uniform depth of space between them. r

The making of the outer surfacesof the container walls substantially parallel to or concentric with the proximate inner surfaces of the case walls is of decided'advantage in maintaining the garments in unwrinkled condition. This is due not only to the contour of the tray or container but also to the fact that the clothing cannot become bunched in corners, or in spaces, between tray and case, of materially greater depth at one place than at another.

The case shown in Fig. 4 is susbtantially the same as that described in connection with Figs. 1 and 3 inclusive but the tray or inner container is slightly modified in form. The bottom 34 is substantially parallel to the case wall 11 and extends from one longitudinal margin into a curved side 35 located opposite the bottom walls 10 and 15. At the other longitudinal side of the tray the wall .34 merges into a curved portion 36 terminating in an upright wall 37. This'form of case is well adapted for holding mens garments such as suit coats, whereas the form shown in Figsl and 3 is preferable for use with longer garments such as womens dresses and the like. Clothing depending from the cover into the case between the wallslO and 35 and between the walls 11 and 34, will be properlybers hingedly secured together, and'an acbeing of a Width and depth less than the width and depth respectively of the case, the contour of the inner surfaces of the case and of the outer surfaces of the container being correlated to provide acontinuous space of substantially uniform depth betwen the top, bottom and side walls of the container and case respectively for the reception of clothing.

2. A suit case comprising two body members hingedly secured together, a floating container in the case, said container being of a widthand depth less than the width and depth respectively of the case, and adapted to be spaced from the, walls of the case when closed, the extent of the several spaces between container and case walls being determined by the thickness of the clothing in the case, and the longitudinal walls of the container facing the top and bottom walls of the case being curved transversely of the container, the inner surfaces oft 1e case opposite said curved container walls being substantially concentric with saidcurved Walls to provide a space between the case and container of substantially uniform depth.

3. A suit case comprising a tray supporting section and a cover section hingedly secured together, a floating tray within the-case and normally spaced from the side, bottom and top walls of the case sections when closed to provide a continuous space for clothing therebetween, and means serving to center the tray transversely between the case sections, said tray having rounded walls facing the top and bottom walls of the case and being slidable on the centering means toward and from the top and bottom walls of the case to engage and hold the clothing, the I contour of the inner surfaces of the case and of the outer surfaces of the tray being correlated to provide a space of substantially uniform depth between the top, bottom and side walls of the'tray and case respectively for the reception of clothing.

In testimony, that I claim the foregoing as my invention, I aflix my signature, this 27th day of June, 1931.

' ELMER ELLSVVORTH NILT.

cessories container in the case, said container 

